Trailer hitch won't come off ball

[IanC]

I’ve found that it helps to put the TV in park, but not set the parking brake. This allows the TV to move just a bit when the tongue lifts off the ball.

 

[MarkinVan]

Anytime if comes down to frustration with unhitching it come down to the physics of the ball and hitch. This changes with every unhitch after the trailer has been blocked with the chocks. Ideally the ball is centred in the hitch and it unlatches and lifts straight out. If the ball is not centred and the latch won't lift, the weight of the trailer is on the latch and the tow vehicle needs to pull forward to centre the ball and take the weight off the latch. If the hitch unlatches but the ball won't come out of the hitch the weight of the tow vehicle is on the ball and one needs to back up to centre the ball in the hitch to lift out. It is always one of these 3 scenarios usually based on a flat or sloped site in one of two directions.

 

[fern703]

I also had a issue with unhitching. I can lift the coupler locking release handle, but the lock won't slide back. So far I resorted to a slight hammer tapping to get it to slide up. Any insight would be helpful.

 

[MarkinVan]

Next time you are tempted to use the hammer, look up or place your finger in the hitch itself, and feel where the ball is and what is sticking to the ball. Most of the time when you're having trouble lifting the latch or pushing it forward, there's still weight on the latch and pulling forward slightly will eliminate the need for the hammer.

 

[fern703]

Next time you are tempted to use the hammer, look up or place your finger in the hitch itself, and feel where the ball is and what is sticking to the ball. Most of the time when you're having trouble lifting the latch or pushing it forward, there's still weight on the latch and pulling forward slightly will eliminate the need for the hammer.

Thanks for the quick reply. I tried pulling forward and pulling back, I also tried raising the hitch and stepping on the TV bumper, nothing seems to help.

 

[Dcboyd]

Same happened to me. Escape sent a picture with a man placing a 2x4 against the ball housing and hacking it with a sledge. lol. It worked and the following week it was being cut off and replaced with a bulldog type. That was a month after trailer delivery 3 years ago. Best decision ever.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

I’ve found that it helps to put the TV in park, but not set the parking brake. This allows the TV to move just a bit when the tongue lifts off the ball.

unless it rolls backwards, like if you're facing slightly uphill.

 

[fern703]

Same happened to me. Escape sent a picture with a man placing a 2x4 against the ball housing and hacking it with a sledge. lol. It worked and the following week it was being cut off and replaced with a bulldog type. That was a month after trailer delivery 3 years ago. Best decision ever.

I may have to do the same to replace the coupler. I never had this problem with my previous trailers. So far light tapping with a hammer gives me great relieves.

 

[Terry F]

Hitch & ball

When my hitch is a little binding on the ball, I use the pry bar that came with my weight distribution bars. Slips it right off.

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

When my hitch is a little binding on the ball, I use the pry bar that came with my weight distribution bars. Slips it right off.

If you need to use a prybar, crowbar, sledgehammer or hammer, something is wrong and not aligned.

In your driveway, check out how the mechanism works by laying on your back and stick a spare tow ball there to watch it in action. Hitch it up, unhitch it, play around with the ball too far forward or too far back, so you know how to make the TV adjustment (forward or backward) when you are in the field. 10 minutes of safe, hands on research goes a long way.

Never stick your finger up there to see where things if you are hooked up to your vehicle and trying to unhitch. Uness you want to potentially loose a finger.

 

[MarkinVan]

If you need to use a prybar, crowbar, sledgehammer or hammer, something is wrong and not aligned.

In your driveway, check out how the mechanism works by laying on your back and stick a spare tow ball there to watch it in action. Hitch it up, unhitch it, play around with the ball too far forward or too far back, so you know how to make the TV adjustment (forward or backward) when you are in the field. 10 minutes of safe, hands on research goes a long way.

Never stick your finger up there to see where things if you are hooked up to your vehicle and trying to unhitch. Uness you want to potentially loose a finger.

Very much agree. I only stuck my finger doing 10 minutes of safe hands on research to understand the hitch.

Safety is always first.

Bumper Jumping and hammers on a jacked up hitch can allow the hitch to pop out under stress & pressure and have significant unexpected hitch & trailer movement. Your trailer should blocked solid allowing the hitch ball to be lined up in position to drop out.

 

[fern703]

Thanks for the suggestions. The issue is not the locking hitch ball, but the hitch slide lock. Once the lock is released, I have no problem release the hitch ball.

 

[MarkinVan]

Thanks for the suggestions. The issue is not the locking hitch ball, but the hitch slide lock. Once the lock is released, I have no problem release the hitch ball.

When the hitch latch is not unhitching that means there is weight on corresponding part against the ball and the ball needs to move off that part of the latch.

 

[DanandDaphne]

It's too bad that they can't just use a bulldog type coupler on Escapes. We have a 5.0 so it doesn't apply to us but I have a small dump utility trailer that was about $8K new and it came with a bulldog coupler. It never hangs up, super easy to hitch and unhitch, and it is just so much more substantial being cast iron instead of stamped sheet metal.

Locking options are just as good, you can use a locking pin https://www.amazon.com/Bulldog-5804...6&sprefix=bulldog+coupler+lock,aps,150&sr=8-9

And there's a ft. knox lock made for bulldog couplers as well, https://www.amazon.com/Bulldog-Slid...5&sprefix=bulldog+coupler+lock,aps,150&sr=8-7

 

[Perry Butler]

Good for reducing wear on the ball and getting grease all over your pant leg.

If it's mechanically hung up that won't help much.

We've used the Andersen Greaseless ball(s) for nearly 10 years and don't miss that grease mark on my pants, nor miss greasy hands. There are times though when I have to put the tranny in neutral to get the ball to release. Once in neutral the ball always releases.

Enjoy,

Perry